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Neither very good nor very bad; middling; passable; tolerable; indifferent. In some Irish houses, where things are so-so, One gammon of bacon hangs up for a show. Goldsmith. He [Burns] certainly wrote some so-so verses to the Tree of Liberty. Prof. Wilson.

To give off spalls, or wedge-shaped chips; -- said of stone, as when badly set, with the weight thrown too much on the outer surface.

iscourse; usually, one who utters a speech in public; as, the man is a good speaker, or a bad speaker.

ey with them shall not speed! Lydgate. I told ye then he should prevail, and speed On his bad errand. Milton.

Any supernatural being, good or bad; an apparition; a specter; a ghost; also, sometimes, a sprite,; a fairy; an elf. Whilst young, preserve his tender mind from all impressions of spirits and goblins in the dark. Locke.

The act or result of spraining; lameness caused by spraining; as, a bad sprain of the wrist. Sprain fracture (Med.), the separation of a tendon from its point of insertion, with the detachment of a shell of bone to which the tendon is attached.

ts pressure. Modern spurs have a small wheel, or rowel, with short points. Spurs were the badge of knighthood. And on her feet a pair of spurs large. Chaucer.

A pole, stick, or wand borne as an ensign of authority; a badge of office; as, a constable's staff. Methought this staff, mine office badge in court, Was broke in twain. Shak. All his officers brake their staves; but at their return new staves were delivered unto them. Hayward.

A character or reputation, good or bad, fixed on anything as if by an imprinted mark; current value; authority; as, these persons have the stamp of dishonesty; the Scriptures bear the stamp of a divine origin. Of the same stamp is that which is obtruded on us, that an adamant suspends the attraction of the loadstone. S…

The situation of a shop, store, hotel, etc.; as, a good, bad, or convenient stand for business. [U. S.]

ed manner; a secret procedure; a clandestine practice or action; -- in either a good or a bad sense. Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame. Pope. The monarch, blinded with desire of wealth, With steel invades the brother's life by stealth. Dryden. I told him of your stealth unto this wood. Shak.…

from Stink, v. Stinking badger (Zoöl.), the teledu. -- Stinking cedar (Bot.), the California nutmeg tree; also, a related tree of Florida (Torreya taxifolia).

ce, unusual exertion of the voice. -- Stress of weather, constraint imposed by continued bad weather; as, to be driven back to port by stress of weather. -- To lay stress upon, to attach great importance to; to emphasize. "Consider how great a stress is laid upon this duty." Atterbury. -- To put stress upon, or To p…

om a tree; to strip the clothes from a man's back; to strip away all disguisses. To strip bad habits from a corrupted heart, is stripping off the skin. Gilpin.

The sin or offense of procuring one to do a criminal or bad action, as by bribes or persuasion. Foul subornation is predominant. Shak. The sort of chicanery attending the subornation of managers in the Leibnitz controversy. De Quinsey.

e who suborns or procures another to take, a false oath; one who procures another to do a bad action.

ter; hence, consequence, issue, or result, of an endeavor or undertaking, whether good or bad; the outcome of effort. Men . . . that are like to do that, that is committed to them, and to report back again faithfully the success. Bacon. Perplexed and troubled at his bad success The tempter stood. Milton.…

hest; greatest; most excellent or most extreme; utmost; greatist possible (sometimes in a bad sense); as, supreme love; supreme glory; supreme magnanimity; supreme folly. Each would be supreme within its own sphere, and those spheres could not but clash. De Quincey.

To go beyond in anything good or bad; to exceed; to excel. This would surpass Common revenge and interrupt his joy. Milton.

worn brothers, originally, companions in arms who took an oath to share together good and bad fortune; hence, faithful friends. -- Sworn enemies, determined or irreconcilable enemies. -- Sworn friends, close friends.